Healing and the Image of God

Summary of Chapter 4: Healing and the Image of God

Overview

In Healing and the Image of God, Stephen Seamands explores how the concept of being created in God's image forms the foundation of Christian healing ministry. Seamands explains that human beings were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), but the fall into sin (Genesis 3) distorted this image, leaving humanity broken in key relationships—with God, others, creation, and themselves. Seamands argues that Christian healing is the process of restoring the divine image in people, which includes addressing their physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs. He emphasizes that the healing ministry of Jesus, both in His earthly life and ongoing through the church, seeks to restore individuals in all these dimensions.

Key Themes and Concepts

  1. The Image of God in Creation Seamands emphasizes that the image of God (Latin: imago Dei) is the foundation of human identity and value. Genesis 1:26-27 reveals that humans were created to reflect God's character, bearing a unique likeness to their Creator. This divine image is multi-faceted, and Seamands identifies three traditional views of the image of God:

    • Substantive View: The image of God is identified with specific capacities such as reason, morality, or spirituality.
    • Functional View: The image is expressed in what humans do, particularly their God-given mandate to exercise dominion over creation (Genesis 1:28, Psalm 8:6).
    • Relational View: Being created in God's image means humans are inherently relational, reflecting the communal nature of the Triune God through relationships with God, others, creation, and themselves.

    Seamands supports an inclusive view that encompasses all three aspects—human capacities, functions, and relationships—because each element contributes to a fuller understanding of the divine image in humanity.

  2. The Fall and the Broken Image The fall into sin, as described in Genesis 3, severely damaged the image of God in humanity. Seamands illustrates how sin disrupted the four key relationships that constitute the divine image:

    • Relationship with God: Sin brought separation from God, resulting in spiritual alienation.
    • Relationship with Others: Relationships became fractured, leading to social alienation, conflict, and hostility.
    • Relationship with Creation: Humans’ harmonious relationship with the earth was disrupted, resulting in toil, suffering, and environmental degradation.
    • Relationship with Themselves: People experienced internal brokenness, including shame, guilt, and psychological distress.

    As a result of the fall, the image of God became distorted and broken, leaving humanity in need of redemption and healing.

  3. Jesus as the Perfect Image of God The New Testament affirms that Jesus Christ is the perfect image (eikon) of God (2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3). Jesus, as the second Adam, came to restore the broken image of God in humanity. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus provides the model of what it means to be truly human and offers the means by which humanity can be healed and conformed to His image (Romans 8:29).

    Seamands explains that Jesus' healing ministry was about more than just physical cures—it was about restoring people to their original purpose as bearers of God’s image. Jesus’ healings encompassed the whole person, addressing not only physical ailments but also spiritual, emotional, and relational brokenness.

  4. The Restoration of the Image in Healing Ministry Christian healing ministry is fundamentally about the restoration of the image of God in individuals. Seamands highlights how healing prayer should not only focus on physical needs but also consider how a person's relational, spiritual, and emotional dimensions are affected by their condition. Seamands encourages those involved in healing ministry to take a holistic approach, addressing the entire person and seeking to restore the divine image in every area of life.

    Seamands illustrates this with examples from Jesus’ healings, such as the story of the woman with a hemorrhage (Mark 5:25-34). Jesus did not simply heal her physical condition; He also restored her spiritually by addressing her faith, socially by restoring her dignity, and psychologically by affirming her identity as a "daughter."

  5. Healing in Four Dimensions Seamands asserts that healing involves the restoration of four interconnected dimensions that reflect the image of God:

    • Spiritual Healing: Restoring one's relationship with God, overcoming spiritual alienation.
    • Social Healing: Restoring relationships with others, healing relational fractures and fostering community.
    • Physical Healing: Healing of the body, addressing sickness and physical suffering.
    • Psychological Healing: Restoring one’s relationship with themselves, including emotional and mental well-being.

    Seamands encourages prayer ministers to be attentive to all these dimensions when offering healing prayer, recognizing that each aspect of the person is interconnected and vital to restoring the full image of God.

Biblical References and Citations

  • Genesis 1:26-27 - Human beings are created in the image of God, male and female.
  • Genesis 3 - The fall disrupts the divine image and fractures humanity’s relationships with God, others, creation, and themselves.
  • Psalm 8:6 - Humanity is given dominion over creation, reflecting the functional aspect of the image of God.
  • Romans 8:29 - God’s purpose is for believers to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
  • 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3 - Jesus is the perfect image (eikon) of God, embodying divine personhood.

References

  • Anderson, Ray. Anderson emphasizes that the image of God is foundational to understanding human personhood and affects all other aspects of Christian theology.
  • Harrison, Nonna. Harrison argues for an inclusive view of the image of God, encompassing all aspects of human identity—capacities, relationships, and functions.
  • Plantinga, Cornelius. Plantinga describes the image of God as a multi-faceted reality, involving acts, relationships, and virtues.
  • Hoekema, Anthony. Hoekema views the image of God as encompassing the full range of human gifts and capacities, all of which are intended to enable humans to live out God’s purpose in their relationships.

Conclusion

In Healing and the Image of God, Stephen Seamands presents a comprehensive vision of healing as the restoration of the divine image in human beings. He emphasizes that healing is not merely about curing diseases but involves the transformation and renewal of the whole person—spiritually, socially, physically, and psychologically. Jesus, as the perfect image of God, provides the model and means by which this restoration occurs. Through the healing ministry of the church, Christians participate in Jesus' ongoing work of restoring the broken image of God in humanity, addressing the deep needs of individuals in all dimensions of their lives. Ultimately, healing is about becoming fully human, conforming to the image of Christ, and living out God’s intended purpose for His creation.